Summer 2014

Council calls for President Obama to raise LGBT Issues at Africa Summit

In August, President Obama will host the first-ever U.S.- Africa Summit. The theme, "Investing in the Next Generation," raises the hope that the next generation of LGBT Africans will have an equal opportunity to participate, as equal citizens, in the future of the continent. To promote an LGBT perspective, the Council wrote to President Obama to ask that the official program include LGBT individuals, organizations and experiences to enrich both the Summit and the generational advance to which it aspires. The letter also highlights opportunities to make the business case for inclusion during business and trade forums at the Summit.

See a copy of the letter here.

Photo: HRC

Council Co-sponsors Reception for Young African Leaders

On Monday, a reception was held at Human Rights Campaign for the young African leaders who are in Washington, DC for the White House's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The reception honored the YALI participants and gave them the opportunity to meet U.S. based activists working on international LGBT issues.

President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.

Read more here.

White House Takes Further Action to

Protect LGBT Rights in Uganda

The Council praised new sanctions by the White House in response to Uganda's "Anti-Homosexuality" law. The Uganda law, which provides sweeping new criminal penalties, including life in prison for same-sex couples and harsh penalties for human rights defenders, was signed by President Museveni in February. The White House announcement includes new visa restrictions limiting entry to those deemed responsible for human rights abuses. In taking this action, the Administration has placed responsibility where it should lie - with those individuals who enacted the new law, not the broader Ugandan people. We urge that a speedy review of visa eligibility be the template for future U.S. action whenever human rights are abridged, or corrupt practices undertaken, in any country.

Read more here.

Council Calls for Extension of President's Executive Order to Protects LGBT Workers Globally

The Council also welcomed the President's leadership in signing a new Executive Order to protect LGBT workers in the United States. We now call on the President to apply those same principles to U.S. government contractors and grantees operating overseas to ensure that U.S. government funds are never used to finance discrimination anywhere in the world. At the moment, grantees and most overseas contractors are not covered by the Executive Order, including most organizations funded by U.S. overseas investments in HIV/AIDS through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Learn more about the current Executive Order here.

White House Forum on Global LGBT Human Rights

In June, the White House hosted the first-ever Forum on Global LGBT Human Rights. The Council was pleased to help identify diverse participants, including new voices representing civil society, faith and business leaders.

A keynote address by Amb. Susan Rice called us to "recommit to doing everything we can to reach the day when love-all love-is met only with celebration, when all of our brothers and sisters encounter only equal opportunity and acceptance, and when all rights are just simply human rights-sacred and inviolable."

Read more here.

United States Issues UN Report on Its Own Human Rights Conditions

Bills Introduced in Congress to Create a New Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Peoples

In June, Sen. Markey (D-Mass) and 24 other Senators introduced The International Human Rights Defense Act, (S. 2472), which makes State Department efforts to respond to discrimination and violence against the LGBT community a U.S. foreign policy priority and creates a new Special Envoy position to coordinate those efforts.

Read more about the Senate bill here.

Congressman Tierney (D-MA), along with Congressmen Gibson (R-NY) and Hanna (R-NY), introduced a bipartisan version in the House in July. Original cosponsors in the House include Representatives Cicilline (D-RI), Esty (D-CT), Lowenthal (D-CA), McGovern (D-MA) and Schakowsky (D-IL).

Read more about the House bill here.

Congress Acts to Deny Visas to LGBT Persecutors

In June, Congressman Cicilline (D-RI), one of eight openly LGBT members of Congress, introduced the Global Respect Act (HR 4907) to protect the human rights of the international LGBT community. The bill bans entry into the United States of those who have committed or incited gross violations of basic human rights against LGBT individuals. The Council strongly supports the use of targeted visa bans to exclude those who target LGBT individuals for persecution.

Original House cosponsors include:

Representatives Engel (D-NY), Eshoo (D-CA), Frankel (D-FL), Lee (D-CA), Lofgren (D-CA), Lowenthal (D-CA), Maloney (D-NY), McDermott (D-WA), McGovern (D-MA), Murphy (D-FL), Pocan (D-WI), Polis (D-CO), Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Speier (D-CA), Takano (D-CA), and Wilson (D-FL).

More News:

USAID Launches LGBT Vision for Inclusive Development

"This Vision outlines our Agency's commitment-both in Washington and abroad-to include LGBT considerations in every area of our work, and in every place we work." - Rajiv Shah, Administrator of USAID.

World Bank research estimates

"Homophobia May Cost India's Economy Billions of Dollars."

U.S. Funding still flowing to anti-LGBT groups

"Obama's Evangelical Gravy Train."

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